Two Poems by Ricky Garni

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It was after midnight
when I saw the food truck
pass by. At first I thought
it was a bus. And then
I thought, No, it is a food
truck. But where is it going
after midnight? It has nowhere
to go, but is going somewhere.

Sometimes I wonder if the food
truck saw me and wondered
where I was going, thinking
that, I, too, had nowhere to go
and yet was going somewhere.

But that’s not true I say to
food truck. I had to go
to Emily’s house. I also had to
get some gas for the car and
I had to listen to the new
Jerry Lee Lewis record. Man,
that boy can sing. I wonder if
he really killed his wife.

I wonder.

Later I picked a
gladiola, food truck.
After that I hummed
that song After
Midnight.

The Unbearable: Jane Eyre

Why the fuck
don’t they kiss?

I like being alone
in this Bijoux.

It’s just me
and them.

Normally do I say
the things I say to them
to real people? Not really.

These Victorians could be
anywhere in the world,
but still are willing to
spend a little time with
someone like me or anyone

at all although at a
careful distance while
missing one dimension.

And just because I ask,
it doesn’t mean that
they will change
the movie and kiss.

Even though they
want to.

It was never up
to them anyway.
Besides,

it’s much too late
for that now.

It always was.

***

Ricky Garni is a graphic designer living in Carrboro, North Carolina. His work can be found in Evergreen Review, Camel Saloon, Used Furniture Review, Orion Headless, and other places. His latest work, January, is a sequel to his earlier work, December.